A prolific writer, scholar, and advocate for American music, Tawa (emer., Univ. of Massachusetts, Boston) does not argue for a single symphony as the "great American symphony" but instead nominates a dozen symphonic composers prominent from 1930 to 1950 among whose works a "great American symphony" might be found. The author's excellent vignettes on these composers encompass factual and anecdotal material along with his own informed evaluation of the oeuvre of each. A second theme, that of historical evolution, also runs throughout the book: this same dozen, more or less, heeded the call of their country and wrote music accessible to patrons of classical music; the following 20 years (1950-70) were dominated by composers writing serial music, seemingly neglectful of the public. Tawa concludes by tracing the historical stream through minimalism, neo-Romanticism, and the breaking into the many rivulets of today. One finds considerable variety, both in intention and musical style, among the composers he chose from the 1930s and 1940s. Aaron Copland meets the author's standard, both in attitude and accomplishment, but Roger Sessions does not. Tawa also provides brief discussion of approximately 20 other symphonic composers from 1950 until today. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. — W. K. Kearns, emeritus, University of Colorado at Boulder
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A prolific writer, scholar, and advocate for American music, Tawa (emer., Univ. of Massachusetts, Boston) does not argue for a single symphony as the 'great American symphony' but instead nominates a dozen symphonic composers prominent from 1930 to 1950 among whose works a 'great American symphony' might be found. The author's excellent vignettes on these composers encompass factual and anecdotal material along with his own informed evaluation of the oeuvre of each. . . . Highly recommended.October 2009
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The Great American Symphony is a significant contribution to the history of American art music. February 1, 2010
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